Clean water required from rainwater tanks

With many more domestic and commercial consumers converting to the use of rainwater or other water sources to supplement their mains water supplies, which in many areas of Australia are already under tough restrictions, increased attention is being paid to the filtration and treatment of alternative water sources.

The objective is to ensure that the water derived from sources other than a mains system is free of contaminants by a combination of filtration, disinfection and purification.

Thoroughbred horse trainers John Symons and Sheila Laxon, who trade as JSL Racing from a major new training property near Seymour in Victoria, considered that their valuable racehorses should be assured of the highest quality water.

They collect rainwater from the roof of their substantial barn building where it is stored in 185,000 L capacity storage tanks.

John and Sheila had their rainwater supply tested and were concerned to find that it was of unacceptable quality, so they consulted Jack Tennant, principal of Seymour Pump Shop.

Jack designed and installed a combined Davey filtration and purification system adjacent to their rainwater tanks where the water is treated to higher than clean drinking water purity.

The system of prefiltration, including a deep bed media filter with 170 L/min capacity, is then finely filtered, treated by ultraviolet disinfection with a Steriflo unit and finally purified through activated carbon absorption media filters.

Testing of the water quality since the system has been installed has confirmed that it is free of all contaminants and impurities and exceeds drinking water standards.

Davey Water Products offers a combination of filtration, disinfection and purification solutions including its Filterpure filtration and Steriflo ultraviolet units which are suitable for domestic or commercial water purification and treatment.